1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric outlets and, more specifically, to a shielding cap and electric socket arrangement, which enables the shielding cap to be shifted between close and open position and locked in the close position.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional electric extension cable in which a shielding cap 12 is used and fastened to the electric outlet 1 to close one electric socket 11, preventing insertion of external objects into the electric socket 11 by a child. When in use, the user must remove the respective shielding cap 12 from the respective electric socket 11 so that the electric plug can be inserted into the selected electric socket 11 of the electric outlet 1. After removable of the shielding cap 12 from the corresponding electric socket 11 of electric outlet 1, the shielding cap 12 must be properly received. Because the shielding cap 12 is a small item, it tends to be lost somewhere after removal from the electric outlet 1. Further, it is inconvenient to mount and dismount the shielding cap 12 frequently.
In order to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks, various safety electric outlets have been disclosed. These safety electric outlets have a safety structure on the inside, which prevents direct contact of inserted external object(s) with the internal electric contacts. When using these electric outlets, a supplementary device, for example, a push rod, plug pin, spring, etc., is used with the inserted electric plug to open the passage between the plugholes and the corresponding electric contacts in the electric socket, enabling the metal blades of the electric plug to be set into contact with the respective electric contacts in the socket to close the circuit. Similar designs are seen in publication nos. 360443; 403247; 361714; 331986; 323852; 296125; 286831; 196026; 190251; 356969; and etc. However, providing a safety structure in an electric socket must change the positioning or structure of the original electric contacts in the electric socket. Further, the installation of the safety structure complicates the fabrication of the electric socket and, may increase the dimensions of the electric socket.
FIG. 2 illustrates the use of shielding caps 22 in an electric outlet 2 to close/open each three-pole electric socket 21 of the electric outlet 2. As illustrated, each electric socket 21 of the electric outlet 2 has a top recess 23. The shielding cap 22 can be moved horizontally in the top recess 23 of the corresponding electric socket 21 between two positions to close/open the corresponding electric socket 21. This design still has drawbacks. From the outer appearance, one cannot quickly recognize the xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d positioning of each shielding cap 22, and the user may neglect shifting the shielding cap 22 to the close position when the corresponding electric socket 21 not in use. Further, when the shielding cap 22 shifted to the close position, it tends to be forced out of the close position upon an impact because there is no means to lock the shielding cap 22 in the close position.
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a shielding cap and electric socket arrangement, which eliminates the aforesaid problems. It is one object of the present invention to provide a shielding cap and electric socket arrangement, which can easily and positively be installed in an electric outlet and moved between two positions to close/open the corresponding electric socket. It is another object of the present invention to provide a shielding cap and electric socket arrangement, which has means to lock the shielding cap in the close position. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a shielding cap and electric socket arrangement, which causes a sense of beauty when installed. It is still another object of the present invention to provide shielding cap and electric socket arrangement, which is practical for use in a floor type electric outlet as well as a wall type electric outlet. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the shielding cap and electric socket arrangement comprises an electric socket integral with a part of an electric outlet, the electric socket comprising two parallel sliding rails disposed at two sides of plugholes thereof; a shielding cap movable along the parallel sliding rails between a close position to close the plugholes of the electric socket and an open position to open the plugholes of the electric socket; and a lock structure is provided between the shielding cap and the electric socket and adapted for selectively locking the shielding cap between the close position and said open position. The locking structure may be variously embodied by means of the application of known techniques.